By Neil Johnston, Patrick Sawer and Fiona Parker
Liverpool: A former Royal Marine has been charged after he allegedly ploughed his family car into fans during a parade celebrating Liverpool Football Club’s Premier League title win.
Father of three Paul Doyle, 53, is accused of seven offences, including dangerous driving and grievous bodily harm, after dozens of people were mown down.
Paul Doyle, a former Royal Marine and father of three, has been charged over the Liverpool parade crash.Credit: X/The Telegraph
Doyle, a former company director from the West Derby area of the city, is charged with using his Ford Galaxy to attack six victims, including two children.
He was arrested shortly after the crash on Monday, which left 79 people injured, after the car collided with revellers on Water Street in the city centre. The injured ranged from a nine-year-old child to a 78-year-old pensioner. Seven victims remain in hospital.
Doyle will appear at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court on Friday morning after being remanded in custody.
Chief crown prosecutor Sarah Hammond said the investigation was at an early stage and police and prosecutors were “continuing to work at pace to review a huge volume of evidence”.
“It is important to ensure every victim gets the justice they deserve. The charges will be kept under review as the investigation progresses,” she said at a press conference at the Merseyside Police headquarters on Thursday, Liverpool time.
“We know Monday’s shocking scenes reverberated around the city of Liverpool and the entire country, on what should have been a day of celebration for hundreds of thousands of Liverpool FC supporters. Our thoughts remain with all those affected.”
Jenny Sims, assistant chief constable of Merseyside Police, said the incident had “left us all shocked and saddened” and she understood people “will continue to have concerns and questions”.
“We are extremely grateful for the ongoing co-operation of the public who have, and continue to, share their footage and witness accounts with detectives,” she said.
“Their input is vital to our ongoing inquiries.”
Doyle’s social media account states that he served in the Royal Marines for four years between 1990 and 1994, before going on to work as a network security engineer and manager in the private sector and with Britain’s National Health Service, then setting himself up in business.
He is said to have graduated with a bachelor of science in psychology and maths from the University of Liverpool in 1998 and now lives in the West Derby area of Liverpool. He and his wife have three children.
Doyle is a sports and fitness fan who has taken part in triathlons, and his social media pages show him enjoying holidays with his family, including at Disneyland and in Japan and Australia.
Police and emergency personnel at the parade site on Water Street, Liverpool, after the crash.Credit: AP
He was the director of a firm called Farout Caps, which he ran as a retail mail order venture from his home. The business is listed as dormant at present after being dissolved in 2018. Doyle previously ran a business called Runcool with one other director.
Neighbours told of their shock at finding Doyle had been arrested.
“They are such a nice family, the children are really nice and well-behaved,” one said.
“He is a fantastic guy. He came over to help us when our alarm went off once, and then did the same for our immediate neighbours too.”
Merseyside Police assistant chief constable Jenny Sims.Credit: AP
A mechanic, who only gave his first name, Steve, and who serviced Doyle’s Ford Galaxy a few months ago, told how the vehicle had been the father of three’s “pride and joy”.
“He was so level-headed. The car had pics of his wife and children on the dashboard,” he said.
“He was very proud of them and their education. I saw on telly the footage of what happened at the parade. I couldn’t believe it.”
The charges brought against Doyle could attract a heavy sentence, should he be found guilty.
Unlawful and malicious wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm attracts a maximum sentence of life, with sentencing guidelines suggesting a range of two to 16 years’ imprisonment. The same applies for causing unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm and intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
Attempted unlawful and malicious grievous bodily harm with intent to cause grievous bodily harm also has a maximum penalty of life imprisonment. Sentencing guidelines suggest the average sentence for GBH with intent ranges from three to 16 years in prison.
Meanwhile, dangerous driving typically attracts a mandatory driving ban for a minimum of 12 months, a potential prison sentence of up to five years and an unlimited fine.
It would be for the trial judge to determine whether the sentences for each count should be served concurrently or consecutively.
The Telegraph, London
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